Desh Gaming Lounge opens Saturday

Very soon, video game wizards and stalwarts will have a new place to call home when Desh Gaming Lounge, an eSports center, opens its door to the public, with a grand opening scheduled for Saturday.

The development follows about three months of waiting for the establishment to finally start operations in Old Town Burleson, where a specific use permit was required to start the business that is based on a new-age industry.

Monday, the Burleson City Council unanimously voted to approve a resolution allowing Desh Gaming Lounge to open.

The permission came as a sigh of relief for Joel Robe, sole proprietor and owner of Desh Gaming Lounge.

"It has been a huge stress for the last three months," Robe said. "The thing is I couldn't open for business, but I still had to pay rent. And it's not cheap. With utilities and everything else, it packs up on you. I've been working side-jobs just trying to get things going."

Once the gaming center opens, Robe said he is confident it will perform well because of the rising popularity eSports is generating in recent years.

ESports has grown over the year as a competitive sport that has a global presence and competitions between professional players and teams.

According to a market report by Newzoo, a global video gaming analytics company, eSports will yield about $345 million in revenue in North America alone. The report also estimates the global revenue will hit $1.4 billion in brand investments by 2021.

"Reaction wise, I'm hoping for a really good one, honestly," Robe said after the City Council meeting. "Old Town, since we've been here for a couple of months, we've seen a lot of people come by and have a lot of interest in it. I even had a little kid come by today on a bike, asking, 'is it open, yet?'"

The gaming facility is starting out with nine gaming computers and two virtual reality gaming stations, where video-gamers can come and try out their skills.

The gaming center plans to soon install three more gaming computers, one additional virtual reality gear, and four video game console stations. Electronic device repair services will also be offered.

The facility will provide custom games to play from a wide variety of selections, that includes League of Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite and many other popular games. The game options will increase periodically.

Robe said eSports coaches from eSports Stadium Arlington, the largest eSports venue in North America, and elsewhere have contacted Robe to set up times for their teams to come and practice on their gaming skills.

"Everything is top quality, high-end," Robe said about the game and display settings. "1080p, 60FPS, in everything I do, minimum."

On weekdays, Desh Gaming Lounge will charge $5 per hour of play time, while a day pass will cost $39. The rates increase by $1 on weekends.

All ages are welcome in the facility, but gamers under 18 should be under adult supervision. The games provided will also be age-appropriate unless otherwise permitted by parents.

Desh Gaming Lounge is located at 105 W Ellison St. in Burleson.

"Kids will be able to come together and sit in a room with each other and actually maybe have a team meeting, work on team-playing games," Robe said.